𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐄 ━━ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩

⠀⠀𝟮𝟲. ❛ SUFFER, SUFFER, SUFFER ❜

     Hunter nodded, grabbing Caitlin and speeding out of the abandoned train station.

     "No, Caitlin!" Piper screamed, thrashing in her chains, desperately trying to break free. The team watched, amused.

     After a few seconds, she gave up, sighing as the muscles in her back were growing sore. She could feel the rim of the handcuffs slicing into her wrists, and she grimaced. Walking up, Zakai, the other person she recognized, pushed her hair away and wrapped his hands around the back of her neck. Running his fingertips along the chain of her necklace, he pulled it out from underneath the suit.

     Shivers were sent down her spine, distracting her from the burning pain that she was experiencing due to being only held up by her arms. She watched nervously as he pressed down on the silver heart charm. Her suit and eyepiece retracted back into it, leaving her in leggings, converse, and a sweatshirt.

     Zakai lowered his hands, grabbing onto the end of the sweatshirt and breathing out, watching as it crumbled to sand.

     Are you kidding me? That's Erin's sweatshirt, dude.

     Piper felt goosebumps trail up her arms as a soft breeze blew in, the bottom of her baggy white t-shirt lifting.

     "Boys, Expedite, and I need to talk. Go check on Warren. See if he's cracked yet." The man in yellow ordered, not once looking at them. Nodding, Zakai pulled out a small silver disc and pressed down on it, a breach emerging out. Stepping into it, he and Jeremiah disappeared. Piper directed her gaze to the latter, narrowing her eyes to slits. "The end is reaching near, Pipa Colada. I hope you're as excited as I am to end this once and for all."

     Piper's eyes widened as her breath hitched in her throat. Her mouth became a desert as her body froze, completely shutting down. "W-What'd you j-just call me?" she stuttered, tripping over her own words.

     No. It's not possible. She's dead.

     Never before had Piper realized how time is so much like water; that it can pass by slowly, one drop at a time. In this slow time-bubble, the sound of her heart beating was louder than ever and the light breeze fluttering in stuck pins and needles into her. All the while, her insides felt like nothing there. It was just a hollow, bottomless pit.

     What were once bright glowing red orbs of hatred were now a muddy brown filled with emotions. Once the glow had faded, she recognized the pair of eyes that she had grown up with. Reaching up, the yellow mask that was attached to the suit fell, and a bundle of dirty blonde hair cascaded down.

     Words left her brain.

     She stared into the muddy brown eyes with a burning anger as her heart fell silent. "Hey, BFF. That still stands for 'best friends forever,' right?" Athena Caples retorted, raising a brow. Piper was silent as she stared at her dead best friend. "No "hello"? Nothing? Huh, I thought your reaction would be much more dramatic."

     Gulping, the redhead remained silent as her brain tried to catch up to the events' timeline. It felt like every part of her body was beginning to fail and steer off course.

     "Anyway, as I said, the end is reaching near, meaning playtime's over. This is when the real fun begins, Pipa Colada." Athena smirked gleefully, bopping Piper on the nose.

     The single touch of her skin on hers' was what did it; what woke her up. Blinking, she finally felt the words she knew crawling back to her. "It was you—you're the speedster that was in my house that night. You killed my parents. And Ginger! Y-You—but—but how?" Piper gasped; the girl she once knew standing before her was becoming a complete and utter stranger.